Chapter 32

And so, the day of the tea party arrived.

Matthew, Garda, Maureen, and Ionia visited the mansion in the forest. Unlike usual, everyone was tense.

On the other hand, Jill was completely at ease, maintaining her usual laid-back demeanor.

"Shall we finish the work before tea? The fabric is ready."

"It's... ready..."

The four were led to the usual cloak room and saw the fabric Jill had made. Everyone had a look on their faces that was neither exasperation nor admiration. Incidentally, this was Maureen's first time seeing it, as she had not been allowed to enter the workroom by Jill's orders.

"Isn't there any reaction at all?"

"......I don't get it."

Garda muttered, but it wasn't the kind of reaction Jill was looking for.

"What do you mean, 'I don't get it'!"

"That's not it! It's so amazing I can't understand it!"

"Oh, oh, that's what you meant."

Jill let out a sigh of relief.

"What is this... I've never seen anything like it."

"Me neither."

Garda's mutter was met with a silent nod from Matthew.

"Ionia's painting... it's the bellflower. I tried to depict it on the fabric. I changed the atmosphere a bit, but is it okay?"

On the pure white silk fabric, bellflowers were vividly painted in a bright purple. This was indeed in line with Ionia's order, but as Jill mentioned, the atmosphere and touch were different from the painting. The painting was realistic and had a texture that seemed to emit a scent, while Jill's fabric was more abstract. Additionally, the background and vase were omitted, focusing only on the bellflowers.

The dyes used for fabric and the pigments used for paintings are different, making it impossible to reproduce the exact same colors. The more one tried to match them, the more the subtle differences would stand out. Therefore, Jill had deliberately reduced the number of colors and refined the outlines to change the texture.

"Ah, it's sufficient... no, in fact, this is more appropriate for a dress."

"The dress isn't sewn yet. But if we use the prominent parts of the painting for the skirt, it should make a fine gift dress, don't you think?"

"Why don't you finish it all?"

"No, that's a bit... too much..."

Jill showed reluctance. Sewing a dress was a different level of difficulty compared to dyeing and weaving. Moreover, it wasn't something that could be efficiently done with Jill's magic.

"That's a shame. I would have liked to see your sense applied to the dress design."

"Sewing a dress is a three-dimensional task, which is difficult... even for a professional. Besides, I need to take measurements. And if I leave the capital without a royal order, it's a crime."

"Can't you just bluff your way through it?"

"Why aren't you giving up after hearing that!?"

Jill was beyond angry, finding it incomprehensible. People who dedicate their lives to art truly have terrifying minds. Jill thought this, putting herself aside.

"Before that, isn't there a risk of trouble just by Jill making a gift for Lady Eirina...?"

Matthew asked cautiously. Jill nodded without denying it.

"That's a possibility. There's also a chance that Ionia is planning something nefarious."

Jill's slightly sarcastic words were met with a smile from Ionia.

"It's understandable to be suspicious. But if that's the case, why did you help?"

"I made a decision. I will make whatever I like here without hesitation. I don't want to be forced to make something I don't like or give it to someone I don't like, but otherwise, it's fine."

"Is giving a dress to Lady Eirina not something you dislike?"

"I've said before, I was taken care of by my sister in the past. I'm actually curious to see her reaction to this."

Jill chuckled in response.

"Besides, not sending a gift for her coronation could also be misinterpreted. Both 'trying to form alliances with other nobles or royalty during my probation' and 'not sending even a single word of congratulations' could be seen as rebellious. In a way, Ionia's suggestion was a good opportunity to think about it."

"......Whether you act or not, the outcome is uncertain, putting you in a difficult position, huh?"

Matthew's words were met with a quiet nod from Jill.

"Yes. In that case, I think it's better to send the gift. So, Ionia, feel free to use it."

"I'm not planning to use this dress for anything nefarious. This is a genuine gift and a first-class work of art. As a painter, I will ensure it is recognized as such. I may be a liar, but I don't lie about art."

"That's the only part that seems sincere, which is annoying."

Jill's blunt words made Ionia chuckle, but he then looked a bit sad.

"However, Lady Eirina won't publicly praise you. That's a regret."

The next queen, Eirina, wouldn't publicly commend Jill. Ionia was referring to this. However, Jill didn't seem to mind.

"Oh, that's fine. I find such things troublesome and complicated. It was a fun job, and I could apply various techniques to this fabric."

"Apply? What do you mean?"

"Let me show you."

Jill said and opened the closet in the back.

"What is this...?"

Garda exclaimed in surprise again. Inside the closet were colorful shirts, adorned with various patterns of flowers, birds, and crests.

"These are called aloha shirts or Hawaiian shirts. Oh, this one is painted on linen, not silk."

Jill learned about these shirts from reading "Acacia." She discovered them while reading a book on yuzen dyeing.

Aloha shirts, or Hawaiian shirts, have various origins, one of which is that they derived from Japanese kimonos. Japanese immigrants, seeing the shirts worn by European sailors, remade their kimonos and fabrics into aloha shirts, which then became popular in Hawaii.

Jill's creations were slightly more subdued than traditional aloha shirts. She thought a complete imitation would be too flashy and might not be accepted, and she also simplified the process to make multiple shirts. However, they were still impressive enough to shock anyone who saw them.

"Oh... you painted these with dyes... the collar shape is interesting...!"

Matthew examined the shirts closely and sighed in admiration. He was more surprised by these than by the yuzen-dyed fabric.

Actually, the aloha shirts had another feature that surprised Matthew: the collar shape.

In the Dylarn Magic Kingdom, there were no dress shirts. The collarless shirts Jill had previously made for fashion were very popular with Maureen.

This time, Jill had further developed the design. The open-collar shirts, which were not meant to be buttoned, were a step forward. If a stickler were to ask, "What's the point of that?" the people in the room, all with a touch of eccentricity, would understand.

"Indeed, these are wonderful. They could be used as gifts."

"Amazing... this is interesting, Jill...!"

"Wow... I thought you were just holed up in the workroom for no reason."

"This is flashy! I can't stop laughing! Is this really okay!?"

Jill thought she might have gone a bit too far, but the unexpected positive reaction surprised her. So, she casually suggested:

"Since you're here, why don't you try them on? I need to prepare tea, so let's start the tea party after you change."

"Wh-What?"

Jill loved making clothes. She enjoyed making clothes for herself, but she also enjoyed making clothes for tall women like Maureen.

And she realized she quite enjoyed making men's clothes and having them try them on.